John 3- Andy's thoughts

Born Again
In this section, we see that Jesus elaborates on a few very important spiritual truths. There was a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus who comes to Jesus to learn more about the truth. I think that the preceding verses of chapter 2 set the context. The end of chapter 2 says that Jesus knew what was in a man (anthropos). The beginning of this chapter opens with, there was a man (anthropos) of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. (the NRSV loses this wording)

I think that the point of this story is to show that Jesus knows what is in the heart of all people. John uses this story to illustrate Jesus’ knowledge of one person in particular. Nicodemus had come to Jesus at night. This might be a practical statement meaning that he was afraid to be seen with Jesus.

As a prominent Jewish teacher, Nicodemus may have been afraid of what the other Jews would have thought of him if he was seen with Jesus. There may also be some symbolic significance to the use of the word “night.” Throughout this gospel, there is an ongoing contrast between light and dark, night and day.

Jesus picks up on his fears and speaks very bluntly with him. He also uses language that a competent teacher of the Law should have known. Yet Jesus discussion of the Spirit and new birth seem incomprehensible to Nicodemus. As a prominent Jew, Nicodemus probably had a sense that he had a right standing with God simply because he was born a Jew.

Jesus teaches that Jewish birth is not what makes one right with God. Jesus says that one must be born again in order to be right with God. I think that the phrase “born again” has a lot of baggage in our culture today. I don’t think that baggage should prompt us to abandon its usage however. It is a rich biblical phrase that is ripe with meaning.

In part it is a reference to the story of Ezekiel 36:26-27 “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” In order for us to be in a right relationship with God, we need God to give us his Holy Spirit. Our ethnicity or family heritage is insufficient for having a right relationship with God.

What does it mean to be born again? It means to have God’s Holy Spirit enter into us and regenerate our dead spirits. It means having God breathe into us the breath of life (the Greek word for “spirit” [pneuma] is the same as the word for “breath” or “wind”).

Lifted Up
Before we read the most famous verse in the New Testament- John 3:16, we should note the context in which it is found. Jesus says that just as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness, so must Son of Man be lifted up. What does this mean?

In Numbers 21, the Israelites are sinning against God while in the wilderness. God instructs Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. The people were being bitten by real, poisonous snakes and they were dying. God tells Moses that if the people will just look at the snake that Moses lifts up on the pole, they will not die but live. This miraculous salvation in the midst of judgment is the context for John 3:16.

Jesus would be “lifted up” (a reference to being put on the cross). All who were feeling the poison of their sin and the judgment they deserved could look to Jesus and be saved. The word “so” in verse 16 is “outos” and is best understood as “thus” or “in this way.”For God “in this way” loved the world- that He gave his Son to be the means of salvation for all who believe.

It is not for nothing that this verse is so often quoted by believers. It is a great short summary of the gospel. God has a particular way of loving the world. He gives himself for us. He calls us to believe in Jesus.

The rest of this section resumes the imagery of light and darkness. “God’s light came into the world but men (anthropos) loved darkness more than the light.” God calls us to come into the light of the world- Jesus. To do this, we must leave behind our love of the darkness- the perceived freedom to do as we please even if it is evil.

Jared and Kim- you point out the words of John the Baptist “he must become greater and I must become less.” These are good words for us to dwell on. It is not that we become worthless for in fact, if God has given himself for us, then we gain immeasurable worth. No, it is that we seek to build the name of Jesus more than we build our own name. This is what it means to be a disciple. We seek to build Jesus’ Kingdom and not our own.

Application:
• What is the attraction of the darkness that draws us to hide away from God and his community?
• What can we hope to expect by living in the light?